Wind Beneath My Wings
by Red-Cherry-Flowers
Summary: Dodger remembers his friends while on a Fleet Ship from England to "The New World"


Hi, everyone

**Hi, everyone! This is a complete separate piece to my story, "Haunting Ghosts of the Past" but I suppose you could call it a companion for "There You'll Be." I was meaning to write this for ages but I just never really got around to it, I was thinking of just adding this as a second chapter to "There You'll Be" but then I thought, it was sorta Charley's story so I was thinking maybe I'll make a separate one-shot for Dodger. Anyways, I hope you like this, I was inspirited, as weird as this sounds by a book I had to read for school. Strange, huh? Anyways, please review for me and I hope you like it! BTW: Song is from Dodger's POV and based off Polanski's movie, so basically this Dodger is Harry Eden. And 'G.M Humbler' is a fictional ship I made up. I hope you all enjoy the story, please review!**

Disclaimer: I don't own any Oliver Twist characters, or the song "Wing Beneath My Wings" or "Somewhere over the Rainbow" and no profit was made by this work, I own only the spark of inspiration I got.

_G.M Humbler, 1830._

The sea waves crashed against the side of the fleet ship; it sounded like one chores of drums in Dodger's ear. No longer did the Dodger have his black top hat; he had abandoned it long ago, but other then that he was the same, the same clothes before he was taken.

He wondered what it was like up on the deck, below (where all the other convicts were) the waves sounded like they belonged to a storm. The sea was pushing the ship this way and that; Dodger shivered in the cold air.

From somewhere in the darkness a distant cry of a baby was heard but Dodger could not bring himself to listen or to bother with anything at the moment. This was somewhere where he did not expect to be; this was not what he thought would happen.

He had suspected at most six weeks in hard labor or jail for one or couple of years. But not this; not transportation to some God forsaken land that others called "the new world." Dodger didn't care how "new" this world was, he liked England and he missed his home.

He wondered what Fagin would be doing at this moment. Dodger closed his eyes and in his mind's eye he could still see him standing at the fireplace, pitch fork in his hand and looking sausages, his leering grin in place.

_It must have been cold there in my shadow, to never have sunlight on your face._

"What have you brought me today my dear?" he would say. Dodger would come to him and empty his pockets from a day of hard business and Fagin would give a raspy laugh before saying, "Good stuff my boy!"

And Nancy, what would Nance be doing? Properly down at Fagin's house playing cards with Fagin or Charley. He remembered her and Bet coming own to visit them, when he was once apart of that.

What about Charley? How he missed his friend! He couldn't stop the smirk that came onto his lips when he remembered the mayhem they could cause.

_You were content to let me shine, that's your way. _

He remembered the ever-present grin and the enthusiastic glint in his eyes while they were out working or at the Three Cripples.

_You always walked a step behind._

What he wouldn't give to hear Charley's laugh now! He could still here it ringing in his ears. He brought his knees closer to his chest and hugged them. The memory of it made him feel more alone then ever.

_So I was the one with all the glory, _

_while you were the one with all the strength._

He wondered sometimes whether Charley minded that he was Fagin's favourite. If he did he never showed it much. Dodger had not realized how much his friend's cheerfulness had an impact on him, until now as it was no longer there. Dodger swallowed the lump in his throat with difficulty.

_A beautiful face without a name for so long. _

_A beautiful smile to hide the pain._

Charley's face swirled in his mind's eyes and Dodger bit down on his bottom lip as hard as he could; he wouldn't cry, the Artful Dodger never cries. He hadn't through any of this and he wouldn't now. But even as he told himself this, he could feel his eyes starting to fill

_Did you ever know that you're my hero,  
and everything I would like to be?_

Dodger sniffed and sucked in a deep breath to try and gain control again. He looked around him. Other criminals, innocent or not, were sitting around on the woodened floor like him. It was too hard to see their faces, or was that the tears? Never before had he missed home like now.

_I can fly higher than an eagle,  
'cause you are the wind beneath my wings._

He could survive on his own, he knew he could. He was independent enough but it was the memories that plagued him.

_It might have appeared to go unnoticed,  
but I've got it all here in my heart._

Their faces and voices in his head repeated like a broken record, there was a part of him that hoped they would get transported too and they'd meet again in the New World, but then there was that more dominate part of him that knew he'd never see them again.

_I want you to know I know the truth, of course I know it._

Dodger even missed Oliver, the boy who had created so much trouble for them! He remembered Nancy's smile and kind words; she was like the mother he had never been able to have. And Fagin, where would he be without Fagin? And Charley had always had his back, always…

_I would be nothing without you._

And that just made everything a whole lot worse. Oh, why, why, did he take that snuffbox!? Why hadn't he been quick enough to get away?! He was paying for that now.

_Did you ever know that you're my hero?  
You're everything I wish I could be._

He could remember the stories that Fagin would tell him and Charley when they had been younger. They would laugh so much that Dodger's cheeks and stomach would ache; would he ever laugh like that again? Would he ever really laugh from the heart again? His life would never be the same again; never.

_I could fly higher than an eagle,  
'cause you are the wind beneath my wings._

He had always admired Sykes; to be like him. And Charley and Fagin's enthusiasm and encouragement helped him when clouds thundered down on him. Who would he admire now? Who would be his encouragement now?

_Did I ever tell you you're my hero?  
You're everything, everything I wish I could be._

And that did it for him; he pulled his legs tighter against his chest and began to cry in broken sobs. He buried his face against his knees as the tears prolonged.

_Oh, and I, I could fly higher than an eagle,_

_'cause you are the wind beneath my wings,  
'cause you are the wind beneath my wings. _

He wanted to go home! 'For God's sake, just let me go home!' he felt like screaming.

_Fly, fly, fly high against the sky,  
so high I almost touch the sky._

The he could have sworn he heard Charley's laugher ring in the wind outside and Nancy's voice whisper, "It'll be alright Dodge, you'll make it."

_Thank you, thank you,  
thank God for you, the wind beneath my wings._

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

America, the New World. When they said new, Dodger understood what they meant by it; there was nothing here. If he closed his eyes he could see the tall buildings of London and smell the smoky air and hear the bustling of the market around him.

Dodger stood in a line on the shore with the other convicts. He stood ridge and straight, his brown hair was flat against his forehead, his bright blue eyes squinting slightly in the sunlight because he had not seen in months.

He took a deep breath inwardly and turned to the sea that was behind them. The sun was a bright orange, a half circle sitting on the horizon, it reflected against the sea water glistening, behind the horizon he knew was England; a home he would never find again.

_Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high,_

_There's a land that we heard of, once in a lullaby. _


End file.
